Organizer Jerry Carlson poses next to the list of donors for this year's cleanup.

Photo courtesy Peggy Dault

Kayaks donated to the effort.

Photo courtesy Peggy Dault

Some of the kayak winners.

Photo courtesy Peggy Dault

Volunteers lend a helping hand to a stalled sheriff's boat.

Photo courtesy Peggy Dault

The winners of the best decorated watercraft took home a $100 gift card.

Photo courtesy Peggy Dault

Volunteers pulled up tires and one bird house.

Photo courtesy Peggy Dault

Volunteers recovered 65.5 shoes and flip flops.

Photo courtesy Peggy Dault

Jerry Carlson reviews some of the trash collected from the Muskegon River.

Photo courtesy Peggy Dault

The sorting begins.

Photo courtesy Peggy Dault

Volunteers sorted, bagged and loaded the items onto a truck for recycling, including a picnic table.

Photo courtesy Peggy Dault

Someone had to fill the truck!

Photo courtesy Peggy Dault

About 225 volunteers gathered at the Bridgeton boat launch Saturday, July 19 for the annual Muskegon River cleanup.

The event was organized by Jerry and Jan Carlson, with the goal of beating last year's trash total of 4,417 containers. Peggy Dault says volunteers collected approximately 1,567 cans and bottles, 900 pounds of pressure-treated lumber, 400 pounds of asorted metal, 550 pounds of trash, eight tires, one bird house, one park bench and a picnic table.

Businesses and organizations donated prizes for event volunteers, including kayaks that were given away and a $100 gift card for the best decorated watercraft. The prize drawings took place at Maple Island boat launch.